# Kentucky SB 129: AN ACT relating to unemployment insurance. Kentucky SB 129, AN ACT relating to unemployment insurance., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Michael J. Nemes (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-17 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 188)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB129-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky SB 129 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to unemployment insurance. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-28 - Last action: 2026-04-17, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 188) - Sponsor: Michael J. Nemes (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Funds, Technology, Unemployment Compensation - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (123 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New fund to upgrade unemployment systems: benefit, low. The law creates the Service Capacity Upgrade Fund to improve unemployment insurance technology, program integrity, and customer service. The agency secretary runs the fund. Tech spending must be approved by the Commonwealth Office of Technology, and the Chief Information Officer keeps overall autho… - Lower unemployment taxes but new fund payment: mixed, medium. From Oct 1, 2018 to Dec 31, 2026, employer unemployment insurance tax rates drop by 0.075 percentage points, but only if the unemployment insurance trust fund is above its Dec 31, 2017 balance. Starting Jan 1, 2027, rates drop each year by an amount set by the secretary (initially 0.0115 percentage… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Michael J. Nemes (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Gex Williams (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-15 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 86 | 1 | | | 2026-02-24 | Senate | passed | pass | 37 | 0 | | ## Actions (28) - 2026-04-17: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 188) - 2026-04-15: delivered to Governor - 2026-04-15: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2026-04-15: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-15: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-15: 3rd reading, passed 86-1 (House) - 2026-04-15: placed in the Orders of the Day (House) - 2026-04-15: taken from Rules (House) - 2026-04-01: floor amendment (1) withdrawn (House) - 2026-03-31: floor amendments (2) and (3-title) filed (House) - 2026-03-20: floor amendment (1) filed (House) - 2026-03-20: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-19: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (House) - 2026-03-17: to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H) (House) - 2026-02-25: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-02-25: received in House (House) - 2026-02-24: passed 37-0 with Floor Amendment (2) (Senate) - 2026-02-24: floor amendment (1) withdrawn (Senate) - 2026-02-24: 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-02-23: passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2026-02-23: floor amendment (2) filed (Senate) - 2026-02-20: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, February 23 2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-20: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-02-19: floor amendment (1) filed (Senate) - 2026-02-19: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (Senate) - 2026-02-04: to Economic Development, Tourism, & Labor (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-28: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-28: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-02-24: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb129/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-02-24: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb129/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergen… (became law) - SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (signed) - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) - HB 826: AN ACT relating to education. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb129/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb129/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agenc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB197-2026RS) - [SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB133-2026RS) - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB66-2026RS) - [HB 826: AN ACT relating to education.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB826-2026RS) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [Kentucky bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky/bills) - [Kentucky state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB129-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).